A Guide to Concrete Polishing

Concrete polishing is the art of using a heavy-duty floor grinding machine to grind down a concrete surface to a desired level of smoothness and shine, similar to sanding wood to achieve a high-gloss finish.

Here’s a detailed overview of polished concrete floors, including the costs of concrete polishing, key benefits, available designs, and maintenance requirements.

What is a polished concrete floor?

Also known as cement polished floor, a polished concrete floor is a no-wax flooring material that is achieved by moving a floor grinding machine over a concrete surface – both new and old – to achieve a high-gloss finish.

Thanks to their aesthetical appeal, high durability, and superior performance, polished concrete floors are increasingly finding their way into retail outlets, offices, commercial warehouses, and high-end residences.

Benefits of concrete polishing

Both commercial and residential developers are opting for polished concrete floors over other types of flooring coverings due to the following benefits:

1. Commercial benefits:

Cost-effective: Polished concrete floor is more cost-effective when compared with traditional floor coverings. Its maintenance costs are significantly lower.

Light reflectivity: This is a great benefit for commercial premises that want to use lighting to project a bright, professional image. Thanks to their high light reflectivity, polished floors reduce the need for artificial lighting requirements.

Supports high foot traffic: Unlike other traditional floors, a cement polished floor can withstand high foot traffic – which makes them ideal for busy retail outlets.

Moisture transmission: Concrete polishing allows the surface to breathe thus eliminating issues that arise with other floor coverings that seal off the concrete.

Easy maintenance and superior durability: Polished concrete floors are easy to clean and maintain – only requiring regular damp mopping.

2. Residential benefits:

Cost-effective: It does not require the placing of traditional floor covering materials, such as carpets, on the slab when concrete polishing is done.

Many designs: Polished concrete floors come with a lot of design and colour options, therefore making them a perfect option in the creation of nice-looking homes for any owner.

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Easy maintenance and superior durability: As stated above, polished concrete floors are easy to clean and preserve – only requiring some damp mopping.

Decorating polished concrete floors

The smooth, shiny surface of a polished concrete floor can be enhanced by the use of colours, scoring, and creating circular lines, grids, borders, and other design options.

In the case of already existing polished concrete, building owners can apply stains and dyes on their floors to give them a more imposing look.

Cost of a polished concrete floor

Concrete polishing costs vary depending on geographical region, square footage, available design options, and the complexity of the project.

However, builders can expect to pay $3 to $12 per square footage. The price can be higher for homes because of the need for small machines due to tighter spaces.

FAQs

Are polished concrete floors slippery?

No. While concrete polishing results in a smooth, shiny surface, polished concrete floors are safe to walk on when clean and dry.

However, in busy public facilities, it is a good idea to improve the slip resistance of polished concrete floors by applying anti-slip conditioners or placing rubber mats.

Is concrete polishing a DIY project?

No. Concrete polishing requires a great deal of expertise and the use of specialized machines that can grind the surface to the desired level of smoothness and shine.

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